Amperes is the plural of ampere, the unit of electric current in the international system (SI). It denotes the amount of electric charge that passes a point per unit time, and is used in both scientific and everyday contexts when discussing current, resistance, and electrical measurements. The word carries a general technical register but appears in teaching, engineering, and instrumentation discussions rather than casual conversation.
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- You might over-pronounce the second syllable by elongating the /ɚ/; keep it shorter like a quick schwa /ə/ in careful speech. - The final /z/ should be voiced; avoid voiceless /s/ by keeping vocal fold vibration. - Some speakers carry the r too far in non-rhotic accents; in careful reading, let the /ɚ/ be subtle or omitted, but ensure the final /z/ lands clearly.
- US: Emphasize rhotic /ɚ/ in /pɚ/ and the final /z/; keep a mid-to-short vowel in the second syllable. - UK: Slightly shorter second syllable, crisper /z/ with less rhotic coloration; avoid exaggerating the r. - AU: More centralized vowel in the second syllable, clear final /z/; avoid over-rolling the r. IPA references: /ˈæm.pɚz/ US, /ˈæm.pəz/ UK, /ˈæmpəz/ AU.
"The lab measures the current in amperes to ensure the circuit isn’t drawing too much power."
"He noted that the device operates at 2 amperes under standard conditions."
"For safety, keep the current below 5 amperes during initial testing."
"The ammeter displayed a steady 1.2 amperes as the motor started up."
The term ampere originates from the French mathematician and physicist André-Marie Ampère, who helped establish the relationship between electricity and magnetism in the early 19th century. The SI unit was named in his honor to quantify electric current. The concept of amperes emerged as scientists formalized electrical units; the standard symbol for the unit is A. The development traces from late 18th- and early 19th-century experiments by scientists such as Volta, Ohm, and Faraday, culminating in the adoption of the ampere as a fundamental unit by the CGPM (Conférence Générale des Poids et Mesures) in the 20th century. First known usage in English timelines appears in the 19th century scientific literature as “ampere,” gradually standardized to “ampere” in English texts before the current international symbol A’s universal adoption. The term has since become ubiquitous in physics, electrical engineering, and instrumentation, often appearing in phrases like “amperes of current” or “current in amperes.”
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
Help others use "amperes" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "amperes" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "amperes" and show contrast in usage.
📚 Vocabulary tip: Learning synonyms and antonyms helps you understand nuanced differences in meaning and improves your word choice in speaking and writing.
Words that rhyme with "amperes"
-ers sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
Pronounce as /ˈæm.pɚz/ in US and UK, with a stressed first syllable. Start with a short “a” as in cat, then the murmur vowel /ɚ/ in the second syllable, and finish with a voiced /z/. In American English, the r can be slightly more pronounced; in careful reading, it’s a clear rhotic ending. For Australian, you may hear a slightly less rhotacized final sound but still /z/; ensure the first syllable has strong A- as in ‘maps’ and the second syllable reduces to a quick schwa before z.
Common mistakes: 1) mispronouncing the first syllable as a full /æ/ as in ‘cat’ with a longer vowel; use /æ/ then quickly go to a reduced /ɚ/ in the second syllable. 2) treating the final -es as /s/ instead of /z/; it should be voiced /z/. 3) over-emphasizing the r in non-rhotic dialects; keep the r light or non-fully pronounced depending on accent. Correction: keep /ˈæm.pɚ/ then /z/; relax the second syllable vowel to a quick schwa and end with a voiced z.
In US English, you hear a pronounced rhotic /ɚ/ in the second syllable and a strong /z/ ending: /ˈæm.pɚz/. In UK English, you may have a shorter, less pronounced r and crisper tounge position before z, sometimes sounding like /ˈæmpəz/ with a lighter vowel and a non-rhotic tendency in careful speech. In Australian English, the /ɚ/ vowel is often a short, centralized vowel, and the final /z/ is clearly voiced, with less rhotic resistance. Focus on the /ə/ vs /ɜ/ variation and the final /z/ voice.
It challenges you because the cluster /m.p/ requires precise tongue placement and air flow, followed by a quick schwa before a voiced /z/. The second syllable’s rhotic or near-schwa vowel can be tricky when the r is subtle or absent in non-rhotic varieties. Additionally, you must avoid a devoiced /z/ or an /s/ ending. Practice the transition from the bilabial/m layer to the central vowel and final voiced fricative accurately.
Yes. The primary stress falls on the first syllable: AM-pères, with the second syllable reduced, creating a quicker /ɚ/ or /ə/ sound that leads into /z/. In connected speech, the final /z/ can merge with the previous vowel via a slight vowel reduction, but the contrast remains: the stressed first syllable should be clearly louder and longer than the second. Use a short, rounded second-syllable vowel to facilitate a natural flow.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "amperes"!
- Shadowing: listen to a native speaker say amperes and repeat immediately; mimic rhythm and stress. - Minimal pairs: amperes / ampers (as in amper, not a word) — focus on /p/ + /ɚ/ vs /pər/ patterns. - Rhythm: keep the first syllable longer, second quick; practice counting beats: AM-per-Es, then AM-per-es. - Stress: loud on the first syllable, relax the second. - Recording: record and compare to a reference; note differences in vowel quality and final frication. - Context sentences: include technical readings and casual mentions to diversify usage.
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